Pilkington United Kingdom has launched a new rolled glass production line at its Greengate Works site in St Helens, part of a multi-million-pound investment aimed at safeguarding the future of texture glass manufacturing in the UK while cutting carbon emissions.
The move consolidates production of Pilkington UK’s Texture by Pilkington range — which features 21 designs used for privacy and decorative interiors — at Greengate Works. Manufacturing had previously taken place at the nearby Watson Street Works, which ceased operations last year after more than two centuries of glassmaking.
Bringing all operations under one roof will allow Pilkington UK to save 15,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent annually, according to the company. The reduction comes from running a single furnace at Greengate instead of maintaining two separate sites. The emissions savings are said to be equivalent to taking over 8,800 cars off the road for a year.
The investment aligns with Pilkington UK’s broader sustainability targets, which include cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent by 2030 compared to 2018 levels, and achieving net zero by 2050. The new line received £3.7 million in support from the UK government’s Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, set up to help heavy industry reduce carbon output.
Neil Syder, Managing Director of Pilkington UK, described the engineering challenge of integrating the new production line. “To build the new line, our team needed to break into the side of a live glass furnace, constructing a canal that takes glass away from our current float line to the new rolled glass line in a separate building,” he said.
“This work now enables us to manufacture all our glass from one furnace, which saves us 15,000 tonnes of CO2e per year.”
Pilkington UK has a long heritage in glassmaking in St Helens, with production of textured glass dating back to 1852. The company is part of the global NSG Group and has positioned Greengate Works as a centre for innovation, hosting several world-first trials of hydrogen-fired glass production in recent years.
The company is also working with the local council on plans to transform the Watson Street site, although no further details were given.
Syder said the new investment represents both a commitment to Pilkington’s legacy and an effort to meet the evolving demands of a lower-carbon future.
“We’re building on nearly 200 years of glassmaking heritage and innovation while positioning ourselves to meet the changing needs of our industry,” he said.
